Carotenoids are a family of yellow to orange-red terpenoid pigments synthesized by
photosynthetic organisms and many bacteria and fungi. They have beneficial health effects
protecting against oxidative damage and may be responsible for the colours associated with
plants and animals. In Microbial Carotenoids from Bacteria and Microalgae: Methods and
Protocols expert researchers in the field detail many of the most up-to-date methods which are
now commonly used to study carotenoids. These include methods for the study of canthaxanthin
production construction of carotenoid reporter systems directed evolution of carotenoid
synthases and improvement of b-carotene hydroxylase catalytic activity are described.
Additionally the book includes methods of DNA fingerprinting for the identification of
carotenogenic Dunaliella species ketocarotenoid biosynthesis in microalgae expressing the
beta-C-4-carotene oxygenase gene characterization of carotenogenesis genes in Anabaena sp.
obtaining lutein from microalgal biomass NMR-based isotopologue profiling of microbial
carotenoids and analysis of diapocarotenoids. Written in the highly successful Methods in
Molecular Biology(TM) series format chapters include introductions to their respective topics
lists of the necessary materials and reagents step-by-step readily reproducible laboratory
protocols and key tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and
practical Microbial Carotenoids from Bacteria and Microalgae: Methods and Protocols provides
practical experimental laboratory procedures for a wide range of carotenoids producing
microorganisms.
